at this point, I'm not overly concerned about what Nikon USA will do. I doubt they'll touch what I have (US store invoice from a possible non-dealer seller and a DE warranty card).

I've sent a message to Nikon Japan regarding their stance on this situation. I doubt my ability to interact with Nikon Japan directly is commonplace (being that I visit Japan often and can speak Japanese like a native), but if they are less strict than Nikon USA and can deal with any potential issues I may have, that is all okay with me.

I'll post Nikon Japan's response once I get it just in case anyone is interested.